Scary driving thing

[muskrat]

I was driving back from Wales yesterday and a section of the M4 had temporary signs posted for 50 MPH. As usual I slowed to 50, and as usual most other people either racked up tight to my bumper or overtook at insane speeds. Then the temporary speed limit went down to 40 MPH. Again I slowed, and again everybody else didn't. Then the motorway signage indicated that the left lane was peeling off to an exit road and the right hand two lanes were for ongoing traffic. I indicated and moved safely into the middle lane, still travelling at the proscribed 40 MPH .. on on a motorway!!

To say it was a bit scary was an understatement. Cars were whipping past me on both sides at ridiculous speeds. Plus a bunch of others were crammed up tight to my exhaust pipe, until they opted to pull out and overtake me. One young chap even flashed his lights at me whilst behind me, then gave me the finger as he overtook.

Eventually the unrestricted speed sign appeared and normality was restored. But I am considering suing the department of Transport for the cost of new underpants.

... and I'll bet there's a few of you reading this who think I was in the wrong too!

 

[stikflote]

I dont think you were in the wrong,thats the time you want the pol;ice with cameras

One part of our Ring Road goes from 30 to 50 70 and back down to 40

every one used to over take all over the limit,council got a load complaints ,so they put up average speed cameras
that slowed em down,
Then they decided to put a cycle lane in so narrowed the road but you dont get no cycles on it

they did ask why no bikes to be told it was dangerous

 

[tipitinmick]

Why should anyone think you are wrong. You did what was asked. I know what you mean though. Some don’t seem to give a stuff whether there are cameras up or not. Scary at times motorways. I try and avoid them whenever I can.

 

[Dave]

The problem with motorway warning signs is many a time the incident no longer exists but the warning signs are left illuminated. This then causes people to ignore them when they're on and only slow down or move over when others are doing the same, a bit like it used to be.

Wrong I know but until the highways depts get more efficient with their signage it will continue to happen.

By the way, I tend to slow down for them likewise but will also proceed with caution and drive at a suitable speed when I can.

 

[Pompous git]

I drove from Ashford to Dover and back for several years and sometimes it was {very} thick fog with no signs showing but later
in the day when crystal clear there was fog signs and speed limits for hours, the whole sign thing was a joke.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

Being the "Jobsworth" I have been described as I wrote to my MP a while back asking "When did we stop policing the country's roads". Like you I had driven down the motorway (M1) on cruise at 70 and was the slowest car on the road. Frightening the speeds some are now doing with impunity.

I am still waiting for the promised response from the Home Secretary to whom my question has been passed.

The police today just want to cruise around waiting for a reason to drive fast under blue lights. They must see as many illegal cars as I do yet take no action. That is not exciting enough. And don't tell me there are not enough police. If they are so stretched how come six cars turn up to an incident? They cannot have been busy before the call came in.

 

[Alantherose]

One way is to limit all new production cars to 70mph.

Not likely with a libertarian government though.

 

[Zerkalo]

Sometimes the signs are there for roadworks and locals or regular road users will twig that there's no cameras or even any roadworks and use that as a flawed excuse to flout the law. It's the same on the A42 going past Tamworth at the moment, a 50 zone for miles without an ongoing roadwork in sight and no cameras means even the lorries go 60.

 

[Geoff P]

I was driving back from Wales yesterday and a section of the M4 had temporary signs posted for 50 MPH. As usual I slowed to 50, and as usual most other people either racked up tight to my bumper or overtook at insane speeds. Then the temporary speed limit went down to 40 MPH. Again I slowed, and again everybody else didn't. Then the motorway signage indicated that the left lane was peeling off to an exit road and the right hand two lanes were for ongoing traffic. I indicated and moved safely into the middle lane, still travelling at the proscribed 40 MPH .. on on a motorway!!

To say it was a bit scary was an understatement. Cars were whipping past me on both sides at ridiculous speeds. Plus a bunch of others were crammed up tight to my exhaust pipe, until they opted to pull out and overtake me. One young chap even flashed his lights at me whilst behind me, then gave me the finger as he overtook.

Eventually the unrestricted speed sign appeared and normality was restored. But I am considering suing the department of Transport for the cost of new underpants.

... and I'll bet there's a few of you reading this who think I was in the wrong too!

There are idiots driving in the restricted areas as though the rules do not apply to them. I happily sit at the required speed limit (usually in cruise control) and often have a chuckle at those drivers who drive at fairly high speed in the narrower lanes until they come across an artic in the inside lane. You would be surprised how many of them are too nervous to go past the trucks.

I do not worry about the other traffic, I cannot control what they do, I just concentrate on my own driving and ensure my actions (speed limit obeying apart) does not affect other drivers.

 

[MrBen]

One way is to limit all new production cars to 70mph.

Not likely with a libertarian government though.

It’s coming next year

Mandatory speed limiters on UK cars from 2022 | AutoTrader

All new vehicles sold in Europe – including the UK – will be fitted with a mandatory speed limiter from 2022 to keep cars within the UK speed limits and boost road safety.

www.autotrader.co.uk

 

[160642fishing]

It’s coming next year

Mandatory speed limiters on UK cars from 2022 | AutoTrader

All new vehicles sold in Europe – including the UK – will be fitted with a mandatory speed limiter from 2022 to keep cars within the UK speed limits and boost road safety.

www.autotrader.co.uk

I didn't think there were speed limits on the German Autobahns,or has that changed.

 

[Geoff P]

Just make cars with smaller engines, what would be the point of a 2.5 litre engine if the speed limiter rules comes in?

Mine has a 1 litre engine and is quite happy sitting at 60 - 70 mph.

 

[Dave]

The police today just want to cruise around waiting for a reason to drive fast under blue lights. They must see as many illegal cars as I do yet take no action. That is not exciting enough.

I was driving through Leeds today and saw a young man, obviously in distress, on the wrong side of the railings on a bridge over the inner Ring Road. Two people were with him on the path, a potential suicide, and lo and behold a police van drove up and straight past them without braking, just ignored them.
There was no way you could not see the young man, nor the two who were with him but obviously the police driver didn't, or did but 'not his/her call'.

I made the call to 999 and reported it, someone else had just done so as well, and when I came back 20minutes later there were police and an ambulance present and it looked like the young man had been saved.

It's not the first time I've seen police ignoring what is supposed to be their duties, and no doubt won't be the last. Vigilance seems to have gone out of the window and unless actioned they don't do anything.

 

[nejohn]

I was driving back from Wales yesterday and a section of the M4 had temporary signs posted for 50 MPH. As usual I slowed to 50, and as usual most other people either racked up tight to my bumper or overtook at insane speeds. Then the temporary speed limit went down to 40 MPH. Again I slowed, and again everybody else didn't. Then the motorway signage indicated that the left lane was peeling off to an exit road and the right hand two lanes were for ongoing traffic. I indicated and moved safely into the middle lane, still travelling at the proscribed 40 MPH .. on on a motorway!!

To say it was a bit scary was an understatement. Cars were whipping past me on both sides at ridiculous speeds. Plus a bunch of others were crammed up tight to my exhaust pipe, until they opted to pull out and overtake me. One young chap even flashed his lights at me whilst behind me, then gave me the finger as he overtook.

Eventually the unrestricted speed sign appeared and normality was restored. But I am considering suing the department of Transport for the cost of new underpants.

... and I'll bet there's a few of you reading this who think I was in the wrong too!

That wasn't at the Cwmbran/Newport junction was it? If so a few weeks ago the local press let it out that the speed cameras in that section were not working...not sure about that though as I do know people that have been done on that section

 

[scuttster]

I was driving back from Wales yesterday and a section of the M4 had temporary signs posted for 50 MPH. As usual I slowed to 50, and as usual most other people either racked up tight to my bumper or overtook at insane speeds. Then the temporary speed limit went down to 40 MPH. Again I slowed, and again everybody else didn't. Then the motorway signage indicated that the left lane was peeling off to an exit road and the right hand two lanes were for ongoing traffic. I indicated and moved safely into the middle lane, still travelling at the proscribed 40 MPH .. on on a motorway!!

To say it was a bit scary was an understatement. Cars were whipping past me on both sides at ridiculous speeds. Plus a bunch of others were crammed up tight to my exhaust pipe, until they opted to pull out and overtake me. One young chap even flashed his lights at me whilst behind me, then gave me the finger as he overtook.

Eventually the unrestricted speed sign appeared and normality was restored. But I am considering suing the department of Transport for the cost of new underpants.

... and I'll bet there's a few of you reading this who think I was in the wrong too!

On many occasion I have had a similar experience on the M25 going clockwise from the where the M26 joins up heading round past clacket lane services. The gantry signs drop the speed limit down so head to inside lane and slow to the new speed limit. Cars and lorries still flying along as if the sign wasn't there. Half the time you end up with a foreign lorry so close behind you flashing their lights trying to force you above the indicated speed.Though not been round there for a year or so now so don't know if the cameras are now actually catching people. (not that the foreign registered lorries would get fined or points though)

 

[Godber]

That wasn't at the Cwmbran/Newport junction was it? If so a few weeks ago the local press let it out that the speed cameras in that section were not working...not sure about that though as I do know people that have been done on that section

I think its the A470 junction 32. They have been doing roadworks for a while, just completed it last week but left the speed restriction signs there.

 

[MrBen]

I didn't think there were speed limits on the German Autobahns,or has that changed.

That’s been changing for a while, the unlimited is often only during certain hours if it’s even there, as some stretches aren’t ever delivered anymore

 

[MrBen]

Just make cars with smaller engines, what would be the point of a 2.5 litre engine if the speed limiter rules comes in?

Mine has a 1 litre engine and is quite happy sitting at 60 - 70 mph.

Try a motorbike engine kit car and you’ll soon find that 1 litre is capable of some very silly speeds.

Koenigsegg makes a supercar with a 3 cylinder 2 litre that’s making 600hp!

How Koenigsegg’s 2.0-Liter No-Camshaft Engine Makes 600 Horsepower

The "Tiny Friendly Giant" is a game-changer for internal combustion. Christian von Koenigsegg explains this camless wonder.

www.roadandtrack.com

 

[Spiro]

Gonna let folk know for future travelling plans around Northeast,especially the Tyne tunnel,I went thro it onroute to Edingburgh airport ,I paid £1.90 to travel northbound at the pay barrier station as norm.Went on 2 week vacation,my then return journey bac thro tunnel southbound,thought it was funny each lane into the tunnel were segregated by cones and the barriers in up position,strange but I thought nice Xmas gesture of Tyne wear,I continued my vacation by staying at pals for another 5days,so in total I’d been away from my own home around 20/22 days in total,nice,when I finally got home I was opening post ect nd was greeted a letter,stating I’d failed to pay the toll charge£1.90 southbound,and the fine amounted to £60,thought it was a scam at first,but no it’s real,problem is you have few days to pay half the amount £30 or challenge the letter itself in next 10 days ,I was fuming it takes so long to challenge it,your half payment £30 has expired and your then forced to pay full£60,or challenge ,I took to Twitter to see hundreds of folk with same issues,I can honestly say I never saw any signage at tunnel entrance& there was no where to pay,,how was I supposed to know being out of uk,apparently it’s a cashless system now,where you open an account nd either buy an express card or top up payments,soz to rant but it’s a rip off Britain again,just thought I let other’s know who are thing of using tunnel ,